Have you been told so many horror stories by friends, family or acquaintances about home renovations that it has made you think twice about fixing up your home? Had these people done their research on home improvements, these horror stories probably wouldn't have existed. In this article, you are going to be given important house repair advice.

Painting is an easy do it yourself home improvement, but remember to always use primer. Sometimes you may be tempted to skip the primer but it really produces an excellent surface for the application of fresh paint. Also having a coat of primer beneath the paint will bring out the paints true color.

Hire a qualified contractor. If you decide to hire someone to do your home improvements for you, make sure they are qualified. Check with the city to make sure that the contractor is licensed and bonded, and ask for references. Most reputable contractors will also have a portfolio of their previous work. Get a written estimate and projected timeline for completion of the job.

When you first discover leaks on your ceiling, it is probably time for a new roof. Letting it go could lead to disastrous consequences. Find a trustworthy roof specialist in your area and ask them to come take a look at your roof. Make sure the specialist is skilled and experienced.

Building a basketball court on a portion of ones property can give it an edge on the real estate market. It will also provide a safe, close, and always open area for any of the people living in the house to play on. Friends and family will always have something to do when visiting as well!

Carefully examine the benefits of rental equipment before securing it for a home improvement project. Any repair or renovation job can be made faster and easier by renting purpose-built equipment. Such equipment is not always economical, though. Before laying out money for rentals the canny homeowner will weigh the savings in time and effort the equipment offers against the expense the equipment adds to a home improvement project.

While painting, you should always remember to protect your floors. Doing so will prevent wet paint from staining your floors or carpets. An inexpensive way to do this is to use old newspaper in layers. You can also use a paint cloth or plastic sheet to shield your floor from paint.

It is extremely important to change your air filters. Not only is it more healthy for the air that you breathe inside your home, but it is better for your heating and air conditioning unit. Many of the service calls that these repairmen face are due to build up that has gotten into the machine from dirty filters.

As stated in the beginning of this article, many home improvement disasters can be prevented by doing you research on home repairs before even beginning the process. Now that you have read this article, and have been given this important advice, get started on making those much need repairs on your home.